Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Babylon.js VS ImpactJS

Compare Babylon.js VS ImpactJS and see what are their differences

Babylon.js logo Babylon.js

A complete JavaScript framework for building 3D games with HTML5, WebGL and Web Audio

ImpactJS logo ImpactJS

HTML5 canvas and JavaScript game engine.
  • Babylon.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-30
  • ImpactJS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-25

Babylon.js features and specs

  • Comprehensive Feature Set
    Babylon.js offers a wide range of features that support 3D rendering, physics, animations, and more, making it a complete framework for developing advanced 3D applications.
  • WebGL Support
    It is built on top of WebGL and provides powerful tools to create stunning graphics that can run directly in web browsers without additional plugins.
  • Open Source
    Babylon.js is open source and freely available under the Apache License 2.0, allowing for community contributions and use in both personal and commercial projects.
  • Active Community
    There is a vibrant and supportive community around Babylon.js, offering a wealth of resources, tutorials, and forums for troubleshooting and development advice.
  • Ease of Use
    The framework is designed to be beginner-friendly, with extensive documentation and an intuitive API, which facilitates learning and adoption.
  • Cross-Platform
    Babylon.js applications can run on various devices and platforms including desktops, tablets, and smartphones, ensuring broad user reach.

Possible disadvantages of Babylon.js

  • Performance Limitations
    While Babylon.js is powerful, applications might encounter performance bottlenecks with very complex scenes due to the limitations inherent to JavaScript and WebGL.
  • Learning Curve
    For developers who are new to 3D graphics or WebGL, there can be a steep learning curve to effectively utilize all features of Babylon.js.
  • Browser Dependency
    As a JavaScript framework reliant on WebGL, Babylon.js applications can be affected by differences in browser support and performance.
  • Limited Offline Capability
    Since Babylon.js is designed for the web, developing applications with full offline functionality can be challenging compared to native applications.

ImpactJS features and specs

  • User-friendly
    ImpactJS provides a user-friendly structure for developing games, making it accessible for beginners and simplifying the development process.
  • Level Editor
    It includes a built-in level editor called Weltmeister, which allows developers to create and manage game levels easily without external tools.
  • JavaScript-Based
    Being JavaScript-based, it allows developers to leverage their existing web development skills and integrates well with other web technologies.
  • Broad Browser Support
    ImpactJS games run in the browser, which means they are cross-platform and can be played on any device with a modern browser.
  • Active Community
    There is an active community around ImpactJS that offers support, plugins, and resources, which is beneficial for problem-solving and enhancing projects.

Possible disadvantages of ImpactJS

  • Paid License
    Unlike some other open-source game engines, ImpactJS requires a paid license, which might be a barrier for hobbyists and small developers with limited budgets.
  • Not as Feature-Rich
    Compared to some other game engines, ImpactJS might lack certain advanced features and tools that are available in competitors like Unity or Unreal Engine.
  • Limited 3D Capabilities
    ImpactJS is primarily a 2D engine, so developers looking to create 3D games will find its capabilities limited.
  • Less Modern Frameworks
    With the rise of more modern game development frameworks and libraries, some developers might find ImpactJS a bit outdated in terms of technology stack and capabilities.

Babylon.js videos

Learn the Basics of Babylon.js in 35 MINUTES

ImpactJS videos

impactjs deep-map plugin demo

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Babylon.js and ImpactJS)
Game Development
70 70%
30% 30
Game Engine
67 67%
33% 33
3D Game Engine
65 65%
35% 35
Java
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

ImpactJS might be a bit more popular than Babylon.js. We know about 7 links to it since March 2021 and only 6 links to Babylon.js. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Babylon.js mentions (6)

  • [AskJS] Is it advisable to use Unity to develop games using JavaScript?
    Take a look at babylonjs.com it's a full game engine javascript/typescript with lots of great tutorials. Electron + babylonjs for a standalone installable game if you like, otherwise web distribution is great. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Loading maps and other elements in html5
    Most game engines translate very poorly to the web. Use a game engine specifically made for the web instead. For example babylon.js. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Made a WebGL gallery to show off some shaders and my new song. Built w/ Babylon.js
    All in all it's taken me three years to build this haha. But I actually built the tool itself that others can use to build galleries like this. My dream is for non-technical people to be able to make this kind of stuff. That tool is called Frame (learn.framevr.io) and it's built with babylon.js. These shaders shown here can also be coded from scratch (not easy) or built with a tool from babylon.js called the Node... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Game engine for a 3D multiplayer browser game
    BabylonJS (https://babylonjs.com/, free): powerful, less close to the metal, used by famous companies for famous games (https://www.babylonjs.com/games/). Source: over 3 years ago
  • Resizing a Godot HTML5 game to fit screens such as mobile.
    I don't know your programming and web developing skills but another option would be using a web rendering engine like Pixie or Babylon. Then you can use html/css combined with the provided browser api's to handle your ui and user input. Source: almost 4 years ago
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ImpactJS mentions (7)

  • Anyone managed to successfully deploy three.js software to another platform?
    PhobosLab had ImpactJS and created Ejecta, which was a stripped down JS VM for just the audio/video stuff. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Full gamedev environment running on Dex: http://game.new
    Check his game development and engine: https://impactjs.com/. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Best practices for developing larger JavaScript applications [closed]
    I'm also curious how projects like JavaScript PC Emulator and JavaScript Game Engine handled those issues in case some of you know. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Web developer here thinking about developing a game with HTML5, any thoughts?
    One game which kind of is in the same ballpark as the game you are describing (minus the online part) is CrossCode which is also developed in HTML5 with https://impactjs.com/. Which handles audio, rendering and a bunch of other things for you so you can focus on making the game. Source: about 3 years ago
  • What is JavaScript used for?
    JavaScript has become so powerful that we can use it to build games. There are a lot of libraries on the market like melonJS and impactJS. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Babylon.js and ImpactJS, you can also consider the following products

PlayCanvas - PlayCanvas is an open-source game engine built on WebGL and WebVR.

Phaser - Desktop and Mobile HTML5 game framework. A fast, free and fun open source framework for Canvas and WebGL powered browser games.

Godot Engine - Feature-packed 2D and 3D open source game engine.

Construct 2 - Scirra Construct is a 2D game development engine with a focus on building games visually.

Tombstone Engine - A direct successor to the C4 engine.

Crafty.js - Crafty is a JavaScript game library that can help you create games in a structured way…